Dusk Before Dawn
by Above the Winter Moonlight
Summary: "The Wheel turns. / Darkness begins to fall. / Light shrouds truth in lies." Voldemort's alliance with a dangerous and elusive new enemy has far-reaching consequences. Modern and shadow magic come together, truths are revealed, sacrifices are made, a deadly storm brews, and the lives of enemy and ally alike are put on the line. [Very AU] 2nd Chapter Posted
1. Reactions

_Well, this is the rewrite of Tomorrow's Kings and I have changed a lot of things. Pairings are still likely going to be the same, if I decide to include pairings or not; it might just gloss over the pairings. Kisara won't be in the story exactly as I had her in the last version but she will play a part. This will still include that element from GX as well as an enemy from the original we all love to hate (or, at least, I do). Since I have changed some things to suit the purposes of this story, events of the past will be different. I do know exactly what happens during the Millennium World Arc in Yu-Gi-Oh! but I've taken creative liberty to change some things that happened. The timeline is also the same with the events of GX occurring ten years after Battle City rather than the Ceremonial Duel. I still hope that you enjoy it and reviews, as always, are much appreciated._

 _Note (December 24, 2015): Okay, this is the rewritten version of the first chapter of this story and it is extremely important since there are quite a few changes that I did for the primary purpose of making it more realistic. Therefore, to all who have reviewed the first version of this chapter, if you wish to comment on the new version, just shoot me a PM. I will respond to all of them. Thank you to my beta-reader, EndlessNight025, for the constructive criticism you gave me that I (mostly) followed in the rewrite of this chapter. (I say mostly because I get this odd feeling I've missed some things). The second chapter will be posted after the holidays, possibly Saturday._

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ _I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Harry Potter. I never have, I never will and I am only saying this once so I will not repeat it in later chapters._

 **. . .**

 **. . .**

 **Dusk Before Dawn**

 **. . .**

 **. . .**

The fates of Light and Shadows intertwine.

False Light and Malicious Darkness unite.

A dangerous game begins in which players

are believed hostages to Fortune's whims.

The Wheel turns.

Darkness begins to fall.

Light shrouds truth in lies.

The Manipulated is shown the truth.

The Keeper faces the darkness within.

The Nameless is given a testing choice.

The Priest removes the veil from his eyes.

The Chosen One faces tragedy or happiness.

The future shall be bathed in the blood of innocents.

Destruction shall rain down like fire,

unless Shadows and hopeful Light unite

to overcome the raging flames of the false Light.

 **. . .**

 **. . .**

 **1**

 **Reactions**

 **A** long, skeletal, pale-white hand tapped slender fingers against the armrest of the throne as crimson eyes observed the ghost-like figure floating in front of him. The figure was a paradox; it was pure light and yet it was shrouded with pure malicious darkness. Its red eyes were the only human feature that remained stable as its form flickered in and out but even they were not completely human; they were pupilless and slanted.

" _So do we have a deal, soul-splitter?_ " the dark-light figure asked. Its voice was rough and deep, though it spoke through no mouth.

"And what shall I get out of this arrangement?" The one termed soul-splitter asked.

" _What you desire most of all and more power to accomplish this,_ " the strange figure said, its voice turning silky.

Crimson eyes narrowed and bloodless lips pressed together in thought as the Dark Lord went over the terms of the deal the paradoxical figure had proposed. It seemed as though it could work in his favor and he could use the figure's power because it was one that has never been seen before in the Wizarding World. It would give the soul-splitter an advantage.

And, if worse comes to worse, he did have his Horcruxes to fall back on.

"Very well. We have a deal," He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named stated.

" _Simply wonderful,_ " the paradox said, a satisfied cackle causing its entire formless shape to tremble. " _Then shall we get started, my friend?_ "

"First, tell me who, what, you are," the Dark Lord said as the formless figure had not told him that. It had simply said, "My identity is not important. My offer is."

The inhumane creature shifted. " _My identity is not important, Lord Voldemort. Perhaps I shall tell you someday but, for now, I have something else I must take care of. I shall contact you again soon,_ " it stated and then vanished.

 **. . .**

 **D** awn rose, shedding rays of sunlight into the small bedroom onto the sleeping white-haired figure who stirred as the sun's rays bathed his face in warmth. Soft, brown eyes fluttered open and Ryou slowly sat up, looking around as he blinked his eyes a few times. He noticed two things: he was still in his clothes from the day before and an expensive-looking necklace was peeking out of the drawer of his nightstand.

"I really shouldn't be surprised by this anymore," he murmured to himself as he got to his feet, stuffing the necklace out of sight before closing the door fully. Yawning and rubbing his eyes, and vaguely aware that his other half was still asleep in his soul room, Ryou walked out of his bedroom, heading toward the kitchen.

As he finished making breakfast and sat down at the table to eat, his phone rang. Ryou glanced at it. A few weeks had gone by since the end of Battle City, and only a few days had gone since Ryou had gotten the Millennium Ring back. He had asked Yugi for it because, even though the spirit of the Millennium Ring was evil, he still felt incomplete without him around.

Strangely enough, things had been rather different with the spirit since then. He seemed more tolerable of Ryou than before. The white-haired boy no longer woke up with injuries nor did he get put to sleep whenever the spirit took control so he felt that was definitely better than their relationship before Battle City.

He walked over to the phone and answered it. "Hello?" he said.

"Hey, Bakura," Yugi's voice sounded over the phone. "Would you like to come to arcade with me and the others?"

Ryou wasn't entirely comfortable spending time with Yugi and the rest of his friends, especially because of the spirit, but he still hung out with them whenever Yugi invited him, mostly because he got bored being home alone and did not want to leave the spirit to his own devices. At least being around Yugi and his friends meant that the spirit was less likely to do something that was liable to get Ryou arrested.

"Sure. Do you want me to meet you there?" Ryou asked.

"If you want. We're just waiting for Tristan to show up," Yugi said.

"Yug! Tristan's here," Joey's voice called in the background.

"Okay," Yugi called back. "We're heading out now. Let's just meet at the arcade, okay?"

"Okay," Ryou said and, after politely saying bye, hung up before hurrying into his room to get changed, making sure the Ring was hidden beneath his shirt. Once he was ready, he grabbed his keys and walked out of his apartment, locking it behind him.

The walk to the arcade didn't take long. It was the beginning of July and it was seriously hot and humid but Ryou had lived in Japan for so long that he was rather used to the climate. He was looking forward to when the first trimester of school ended though as he had gotten a call from his father a few days earlier who told him that he was going to be coming home in time for summer vacation.

The arcade was filled with teenagers by the time Ryou got to it. The air-conditioned room was a welcoming relief from the humidity outside and the light aqua-blue jacket that Ryou usually wore prevented him from getting chilled. He looked around, searching for any sign of Yugi and the others. With how crowded it was, he set out to look for Joey and Tristan as they were the tallest of the group.

He finally spotted them near the back of the arcade and, weaving around the other teenagers, walked over to join them.

Tea spotted him first. "Hey, Bakura," she greeted him.

"Hello, Tea," Ryou replied politely and repeated his greeting to the others.

"Man, I am so looking forward to summer vacation," Joey said. "Serenity's coming to visit after school lets out for her. So you guys got any plans for summer?"

"Working at the game shop basically," Yugi said.

"My mom's taking me to visit a dance school in Tokyo. I'm still thinking of going to America to be a dancer but I decided to check it out anyway," Tea said.

"I've got nothing planned," Tristan said. "Maybe Serenity wouldn't mind if I came over to visit her."

Joey glared at him.

"What about you, Bakura? You got plans for summer vacation?" Yugi asked.

"Well, my dad said that he would be coming home soon," Ryou admitted.

\ _Hmph, as if he will actually stick to his promise,_ /Yami Bakura's voice scoffed in the back of Ryou's mind, startling him. He hadn't noticed that his other half had woken up.

\ _You really need to work on your observation skills, Host._ /

Ryou didn't respond to that. "So I'm looking forward to that," he added.

"That's good."

"C'mon, why don't we go play a game? I wanna kick Joey's butt on that shooter game Yugi's always beating him on," Tristan said.

Joey huffed. "Keep dreaming, Tristan," he said.

Ryou smiled softly in amusement.

 **. . .**

 **"B** ye guys. I'll see you at school Monday," Yugi said later that day as the group split up to head toward their respective homes. After waving goodbye to Joey, Tristan, Tea and Bakura, Yugi entered the game shop.

"Hello, Yugi, how was your day?" Yugi's grandfather, Solomon Mutou, said, studying an envelope that was in his hands.

"It was good. We just hung out at the arcade and then went to the park. How about you? Get any business?" Yugi asked.

"Eh, a few people. This came in for you earlier though," Solomon said, holding out the envelope.

Yugi reached for it, only for his other half to stir in the back of his mind. \ _I sense magic around that envelope, partner,_ / Yami said.

 _Is it dangerous, other me?_ Yugi asked silently.

\ _It doesn't feel dangerous but I advise caution._ /

 _All right._ Yugi took the envelope and studied the address, noting that it even had the bedroom in which he slept in the address, which caused him to raise his eyebrow. _Just how did they know which bedroom I sleep in?_

\ _Magic?_ / Yami suggested dryly.

 _Ha, ha._ Yugi opened the envelope and pulled out a piece of odd material that reminded Yugi of parchment. He unfolded the letter and read it quietly to himself, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

 _Dear Mr. Mutou,_

 _First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in England. I am contacting you because I was told by an ally that you and three others whom my ally says are allies of yours may be able to help me._

 _I wish to speak to you in person about this. If you consent to speaking to me, I assure you that you are under no obligations to consent, then I ask that you put down an appropriate time and place on the back of this parchment. If not then I understand and shall trouble you no more. I hope that you will consent to, at least, hear me out though._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Albus Dumbledore_

 _Headmaster, Hogwarts_

Yugi put down the letter and glanced at Yami who had appeared in spirit form next to him. "So what do you think, Yami?" he asked.

\ _He seems sincere,_ / Yami said, studying the letter. \ _And he is only asking to speak with us. I wonder who this ally of his is that told him about us though._ /

"Who knows? So do you think we should speak to him and, at least, figure out why he's contacting us and, maybe, just who told him about us? I mean, he's writing from England, though his Japanese is pretty good."

\ _It would not hurt to listen to him and I can protect us if he proves to be dangerous,_ / Yami said.

"Why would he be dangerous? He is asking for our help, after all," Yugi said.

\ _Lull us into a false sense of security, possibly,_ / Yami suggested.

"I think you're being paranoid."

\ _Maybe. Very well, if you want, we will speak to him,_ / Yami said.

"All right. I was thinking tomorrow," said Yugi thoughtfully.

 **. . .**

 **S** eto Kaiba glared at the owl that was currently seated on his desk, holding an opened letter in his hand.

The owl gazed unblinkingly at Seto Kaiba.

Mokuba stood beside his brother, looking from Seto to the owl and back again, blinking every now and then and wondering just what happened. He had come into Seto's office to see if his big brother was ready to get some lunch, only to find him in a glaring contest with an owl.

"You really expect me to believe this load of nonsense?" Seto demanded.

The owl hooted.

Mokuba sweatdropped. "Um, Big Brother, why are you talking to an owl?" he asked.

Seto huffed and tossed the letter onto his desk. "It brought this letter and apparently won't leave until I respond," he said. "If this is a prank from Wheeler…" He trailed off and scowled.

Mokuba reached over and picked up the letter, reading it over silently. He raised an eyebrow. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he repeated. "What's that?"

"It doesn't exist because magic doesn't exist," Seto said firmly.

"Seems real to me," Mokuba said, scanning the letter. "Are you thinking of listening to what this headmaster has to say?"

Seto snorted. "It's just some prank. I am not going to get suckered into believing some prank," he said.

"But what if it isn't?" Mokuba pressed, scanning the contents of the letter .It really did seem as though the letter was true but Mokuba knew that his brother was stubborn to a fault. He cast a sidelong glance at Seto who was still glaring at the owl who remained patiently waiting for Seto's response.

"It couldn't hurt to, at least, listen to what he has to say," Mokuba pressed when Seto didn't respond to his question.

Seto huffed. "I don't care what he has to say," he growled and wrote down a sharp decline and tossed the letter at the owl. The owl hooted, grabbed the letter before it could hit the floor and flew out the open window.

 **. . .**

 **M** arik reread the letter in his hands, brow furrowed before he turned to Ishizu who was reading over his shoulder. "A school of magic," he stated. "I thought all other practices of magic had died out."

"As did I," Ishizu said.

"He's asking for help and wants to talk to me," Marik mused thoughtfully. "Could it have something to do with the Items?"

"Possibly," Ishizu said.

"But I don't have the Rod anymore and how does he even know about the Items?"

"Perhaps that ally he mentioned in his letter."

"The only ones who know about the Millennium Items are members of our Clan and that Shadi person," Marik said, his lips curling a little when he mentioned Shadi's name. He resented Shadi primarily because it was Shadi who told Marik that his father's death was the will of the Pharaoh, which was what started Marik's quest for vengeance.

He pushed those thoughts away and returned his attention to the letter. "None of the members of our Clan would tell anyone about the Items," he said. "So maybe it was Shadi who is this ally Dumbledore mentioned if he sought us out 'cause of the Items. I mean, why else would he think I would be able to help him?"

Ishizu shook her head. "I believe it might be best if we hear him out. His letter does not present much information on his motives and if he does know about the Items, we should figure out just who told him about them. If not then it might be a good idea to figure out just _why_ he thinks we can help."

"Agreed," Marik said and wrote down his response on the parchment before handing it to the owl who took it and flew off. "I hope it's not about the Items though. Battle City was bad enough."

Ishizu silently agreed.

 **. . .**

 **A** t the mention of the word 'wizardry', Ryou found himself wondering if the letter was true, if there really was a school for magic in the world. It would be really neat, since Ryou has always bene fascinated by magic and the occult. It was one reason why Monster World was his favorite RPG game. But Ryou had no idea why this Dumbledore thought he could be of help as well as who this ally who told this Dumbledore about him.

\ _I don't like this,_ / Yami Bakura growled. \ _I don't trust this Dumbledore person, nor do I trust this ally of his. Who the hell asks for help from someone in Japan he doesn't even know?_ /

 _But what if we can help him?_ Ryou thought.

\ _We don't even know_ what _he wants help with or_ why _he's contacting us to begin with?_ /

 _Well, he wants to speak to us. Perhaps we can ask him then,_ Ryou suggested.

Yami Bakura scoffed. \ _You really are considering agreeing to talk to this Dumbledore guy, aren't you?_ / he muttered.

 _If he needs help and we can help him then why shouldn't we?_

\ _Because that would require actually caring about this problem of his to actually help, which I most certainly don't,_ / Yami Bakura huffed.

 _It couldn't hurt to talk to him,_ Ryou thought. _And it would be interesting to see if magic really was real._

\ _Hmph, of course magic's real,_ / Yami Bakura sneered.

 _I meant if other kinds of magic actually exists,_ Ryou clarified.

\ _You are just determined to hear this foolish mortal out, aren't you?_ / Yami Bakura huffed but thought about what the letter said. What intrigued him the most was the mention of an 'ally' who told Dumbledore about his host and just how this supposed 'ally' knew about him and why he told this supposed 'wizard' from England about Ryou. He may not care too much about his host, as the boy was just a means to an end, but he did not like the idea of someone telling Dumbledore about his host for some reason he didn't know.

Not to mention he hated not knowing things.

 _Why not? He doesn't sound like he poses a threat,_ Ryou thought.

\ _You are far too trusting but fine, we'll listen to what that mortal has to say. If he threatens you in any way, though, I will send him to his own personal hell,_ / Yami Bakura said flatly. _Besides, I have my own questions for this mortal,_ he thought.

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

 **. . .**

 **A/n what do you think?**

 **Blaze: okay, I changed a lot of things in this chapter to make it a bit more realistic in terms of the character's reactions. It might still be a bit unrealistic (and some characters coughYamiBakuracough might be out of character in terms of their reactions) but I feel it's better than the first version**

 **Yuri: why did you bother on rewriting this chapter? Just because that little witch told you too**

 **Blaze: Misha did** _ **not**_ **tell me to rewrite this chapter, she simply gave me some constructive criticism, that I actually really do appreciate, that I decided to take to heart (well, mostly, since I don't believe I hit upon all the points she pointed out)**

 **Bakura: who the hell is that guy?**

 **Yuri: I am Yuri (wanders off)**

 **Bakura: okay then? Ain't he from that fourth spinoff of** _ **Yu-Gi-Oh!**_ **?**

 **Blaze: yes**

 **Bakura: oh (picks up bazooka and wanders off)**

 **Blaze: you're going to blow up the Golden Gate Bridge, aren't you?**

 **Bakura: well since you stopped me the last time I tried to do that, yes (walks off cackling)**

 **Ryou: (sweatdrops) Personally, I rather liked this version of the chapter**

 **Blaze: (beams) thanks, Ryou (hugs Ryou)**

 **Ryou: (blushes) um, you're welcome**

 **Blaze: well, I hope you enjoyed the rewritten version of this chapter and reviews, as always, are much appreciated. And thank you to the five reviewers who reviewed the first version of this chapter. If you would like to review the new version of this chapter (since I know you can't review on the same chapter twice), just shoot me a PM and I will respond to all of them.**


	2. The Headmaster's Request

**Thank you to _David-El, Tempered In Fire, craighorner88, Kamen Rider Dragon Knight_ and for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are awesome, though I would like to point out that the last chapter was rewritten. For those of you who haven't read the rewritten version, please go back and do so because there have been several important changes.**

 **No, seriously, please go back and read the rewritten version of the first chapter if you haven't already. There are many changes.**

 **There is only one OC in this chapter, and, most likely, this entire story: Kamiko Sasaki. As for the possessed-wizard, that wizard is a canon Death Eater but I will leave it up to you to figure out which one.**

 **I hope that you enjoy this chapter and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.**

 **2**

 **The Headmaster's Request**

 _Two Days Earlier_

 **W** hen he was first approached by the tall, ghostly, turbaned figure who introduced himself as Shadi, Albus Dumbledore did not know what to make of him. His blank blue eyes seemed to peer into Albus's soul and his voice was calm and emotionless. He moved with the grace of a ghost and yet appeared solid as if he was alive and the golden set of scales that he had placed on the desk in front of him with a feather resting on one end made Albus's brow furrow in puzzlement. He was a very mysterious figure and his words were puzzling, making little sense, but warning of a coming disaster that he believed Albus would not be able to stop.

"What do you mean?" Albus asked with a frown. "What is this disaster?"

"It is a disaster that I do not believe any could have seen coming," Shadi said calmly. "I have only heard tales of such a disaster, legends that few know about and I believe that this disaster shall come to be due to the union between the Dark Lord of your world and an elusive enemy that very few people know about, that no one could have predicted would strike this soon."

"You're not making any sense. Who is this enemy?" Albus asked with a frown.

Shadi calmly told him.

"I have never heard of it," the old Headmaster said in confusion.

"Very few have," Shadi said.

"Why should I believe you?"

"I have no reason to lie to you for the world hangs in the balance due to this elusive enemy's unexpectedly early arrival, not just your world either, but _all_ the worlds," Shadi said, making Albus frown. _There were_ other _worlds?_ "I am simply here to help you and I know of four allies who can help you delay this elusive enemy's goal and, perhaps, aid in the defeat of the Dark Lord of your world."

"Delay? Can this enemy not be defeated?"

"Yes, but these four are not the ones destined to defeat this enemy," Shadi said. "They can only aid in delaying this enemy for the time being but I do believe they can also help you, if they are willing to do so, in your fight against the Dark Lord."

Albus pressed his lips together thoughtfully. He could use some help in his fight against Voldemort, especially now that the Ministry of Magic refuse to believe that Voldemort was back. He had the Order of the Phoenix though and he didn't see how these four could help him but Shadi seemed convinced that they could help him delay the elusive enemy's goal, which Albus could infer meant the destruction of the world.

But Albus hadn't become the wizard he was today by blindly trusting just anyone, especially not a ghostly figure who knew so much.

He may need allies and he may not be willing to distrust these four without meeting them but that didn't mean he trusted this Shadi figure.

Shadi studied Albus with those blank blue eyes. "You do not trust me," he said.

"In these times, gaining one's trust is never simple," Albus said.

"Indeed," Shadi said. "But I have not lied to you."

"Why should I believe you?'

Shadi nodded to the set of scales on the desk, where both sides of the scale were equally balanced. "This is a very powerful artifact that weighs a person's sin and, also, can help to determine whether someone is lying or not. I placed it near me while I spoke so that you may see that I am not lying. If I had been lying, the side opposite the feather would have lowered, weighted down by the insincerity in my words."

Albus studied the scale. He was not a paranoid person and he was willing to give anyone a chance, even in times of war. He may not entirely trust Shadi but he could feel the magic surrounding those scales, suggesting that it was a magical artifact and may do exactly as Shadi said it did. It reminded him of something, too, and he knew he would have to do some research on it in order to determine just what it was, since Shadi did not seem to be very forthcoming with information about it.

"All right, I am willing to suspend my disbelief for the moment. If what you say is true then I will contact these four allies you have mentioned," Albus decided finally.

"Very well," Shadi said and gave Albus the names of the four before adding, "They are all allies of each other but be warned that one of these shall not take too kindly to your request and may, very well, decline speaking with you."

"I will keep that in mind," Albus said.

 _Two Days Later_

Albus didn't know whether he truly considered Shadi an ally, as he mentioned in his letter, but he supposed that Shadi wasn't exactly an enemy and seemed determined to try to stop this new elusive enemy that had appeared. As the old saying went, the enemy of my enemy was my friend and Albus was prepared to accept Shadi as an ally until he proved otherwise. He was always one to give people chances.

He studied the letters he got in response from the four he had written to in which he had requested to speak to them. As Shadi had said, all but one had consented to speaking with him. The fourth one, Seto Kaiba, had rather firmly declined consent, so Albus decided that he would have to deal with that matter after he spoke to the three who did consent.

He noted that all three had decided on speaking with him on the same day and the locations weren't that far from each other. He wondered if it would be possible for them to meet at the same place to speak with him so that he wouldn't have to repeat his story three times. Shadi had said they were all allies of each other after all.

He decided to request if they would be willing to meet at the hotel, as that seemed to be at the very center of all three locations each letter specified. It would mean putting off the meeting for another day but he supposed it might be better to speak to them all at once.

He wrote down the request and sent it off to all three of them and relaxed into his seat since he knew it would be a while before he got a response. He may have used one of the fastest owls he could find but it would still take time for it to reach Japan, get a response, and fly back.

A knock on the door sounded and Albus glanced up, knowing who it was by the parchment he had by the door that wrote the name of whoever was at the door on it. "Come in, Severus," he called.

The door swung open and the tall, greasy black-haired form of the Potions Master walked into the office, black cloak billowing about his ankles. "Albus," he greeted Albus calmly.

"Severus, what brings you here today?" Albus asked. "And would you like a lemon drop?" He held out the tin that carried the lemon drops that he had grown so fond of over the years.

"No, thank you," Severus replied blandly. "I just got back from a meeting with the Dark Lord."

"And?" Albus's eyes grew serious.

"He has a new ally."

"Oh? Who is it?"

"That's what I don't know," Severus admitted. "He only said that he has a new ally who shares the same goal as him but he won't tell us his new ally's name. Plus, one of the members of the Inner Circle is acting rather oddly and, even more oddly, dresses entirely in white."

"That is odd," Albus said. "Do you know who he is?"

"No, Headmaster. He refuses to speak, keeps his hood over his face, and just watches everyone."

"I see," Albus said with a nod, wondering if this was the elusive enemy that Shadi mentioned. It was possible but Albus wasn't about to jump to the conclusion that it was until he got confirmation. "Keep an eye on him and see if you can find out who he is."

"Yes, Headmaster."

"You may go."

Severus inclined his head respectfully and strode out of the office.

Albus picked a lemon drop out of the tin and popped it into his mouth, relaxing against his seat as he thought about this new ally and Shadi's words. Over the last two days, Albus had done research on the enemy Shadi told him about, looking deep into the Restriction Section of the Hogwarts Library and even delved deep into his own personal library for any mention of this enemy. He had managed some information, not much unfortunately, that offered support for Shadi's words and supported Shadi's assessment about just how dangerous _it_ was.

If Voldemort has really become allies with _it_ , then the world's fate truly did hang in the balance.

 **. . .**

 **V** oldemort's crimson eyes studied the white-clad figure standing in front of him. He had briefly wondered why the person would wear such clothing that caused him to stand out but decided that he didn't care. The paradox's power was still as strong as it had been when Voldemort spoke to it last and the wizard that it had, somehow, managed to possess was also powerful.

It also had the power that was quite similar to the Imperius Curse, only much stronger, less likely to be detected by the Ministry, and much more complex. "And just how do you do this?" he asked.

"Well, the last time that I was given the chance to achieve my goal, I simply had to defeat those in battle and then they can go on to defeat others and turn them into followers as well. I do believe that it is the same now," the paradox said.

"Defeat them? As in a Wizard's Duel?"

"Possibly. The last time, there were no witches or wizards so I simply had to fight them and beat them in a battle. I suppose a Wizard's Duel would work in this case," the possessed wizard said with a shrug. "I will have to test that theory out but I do believe it will work."

The door opened at that moment and Wormtail hurried into the library. "My Lord?" he squeaked.

"What is it?" Voldemort growled. "I told you that I did not wish to be disturbed."

"M…My apologies, m…my Lord," Wormtail stammered out. "B…But I, uh, I h…have information that y…you might f…find interesting."

"What is it?"

"W…When you asked me to search for i…information on your n…new ally," Wormtail began.

"You were searching for information about me? I suspect you didn't find much," the possessed wizard mused.

"N…No, I…I didn't b…but I…I did find mention of a s…source of m…magic that a…appears three thousand years old," Wormtail said.

"Thousands of years, you say?" the paradox said with a raised eyebrow. "I have never heard of such magic but then I am limited by the knowledge of my current Champion and my previous one."

"What is this magic, Wormtail?" Voldemort asked.

Wormtail swallowed. "T…The M…Millennium Items, my Lord," he stammered out.

Voldemort's lips pressed together. "What are these Millennium Items?" he asked.

"T…There isn't much information about them," Wormtail said. "But there's m…more than about your n…new ally. They are from t…three thousand years ago in Ancient Egypt, during the time t…that is known to wizarding scholars as the Gap in Ancient Egyptian history."

"Do you know anything else?"

"N…No, my Lord."

"I may, my Lord."

Voldemort turned as a tall, slim Japanese wizard stepped into the open. She was dressed in dark robes that clung to her form. Her purple eyes were set in a heart-shaped face and framed by long, dark-blue hair. She was Kamiko Sasaki, the newest Death Eater and the third female to join Voldemort's Inner Circle. She was a pureblood from an Ancient and Noble Family in Japan who believed strongly in Voldemort's cause, which had reached the ears of quite a few pureblood houses in Japan, but was the only one of her family.

"What do you know, Kamiko?" Voldemort asked.

"There is an exhibit in Domino City, Japan that is, unfortunately, closing in a few days that focuses quite a bit on Ancient Egypt and it may hold some more information. I haven't visited it but I did learn about it from an old friend who has."

"That is your task then," Voldemort said firmly. "Go to this exhibit before it closes and get any and all information about Ancient Egypt as possible, no matter how trivial, but try to find information on the Millennium Items."

"Yes, my Lord," Kamiko said with a bow before she turned and strode out of the room.

"Wormtail, you're dismissed," Voldemort said firmly.

"Y…Yes, my Lord," Wormtail squeaked and scampered out of the room.

 **. . .**

 **"S** o this Dumbledore guy wants to meet you at the _Park Hyatt Hotel_?" Joey asked, reading the letter Yugi had in his hand over his shoulder.

"You know you shouldn't read someone's mail like that," Tea scolded.

Joey huffed. "I don't like this, Yug. Who is this Dumbledore guy?"

"He says he's the Headmaster of this magic school," Yugi said, putting the letter down. "Look, I just want to know why he is asking for my help and who this ally of his is. I mean there has to be a reason why he contacted me specifically or how he, or this ally of his, even knows about me and, however slim the possibility might be, it could have something to do with the Items."

"And if it doesn't?"

Yugi sighed. "Other Me admitted to me last night that he doesn't like the idea of this man we don't know from England knowing about me only because an 'ally' told him. He wants to know who this ally is," he said. "And speaking with Dumbledore might be our only chance at figuring out who this ally is and _why_ Dumbledore contacted me specifically. It's going to bug the Other Me until he knows the answer, especially since he says he felt magic coming from the first letter and there's the mention of that magic school too. He's confused and wants answers and, frankly, so do I."

"Yeah, I can understand that. I'm pretty confused 'bout this whole matter myself," Joey admitted.

"Just be careful Yugi," Tea said.

"I will." Yugi wrote his consent on the back of the letter and handed it to the owl who had arrived with it. The owl hooted and flew out the open window and Yugi turned his attention back to his friends.

"So, who's up for a duel?" he suggested.

"Sure thing, Yug," Joey said, pulling out his deck.

 **. . .**

 **T** he day of the meeting at the _Park Hyatt Hotel_ came quickly and Ryou was one of the first to arrive in the hotel's lobby. He had decided that it didn't really matter where he met this Dumbledore person and the _Park Hyatt Hotel_ wasn't that far from his apartment anyway. The spirit of the Ring was quiet in the back of his head and had been ever since Dumbledore's first letter had arrived.

He knew that the spirit was just plain confused by this entire matter but so was Ryou. That was why he had agreed to this meeting. He wanted to clear up this confusion and figure out why this Dumbledore had asked to speak to him specifically. There had to be a reason and just who was this ally Dumbledore mentioned?

He shook his head as he made his way into the conference room that Dumbledore said he would be waiting in at two in the afternoon and was surprised to find he wasn't the only one there. Sitting near the head of the table was the blonde Egyptian that Ryou had met briefly during Battle City with his brother and sister sitting on either side of him.

"Marik?" he said.

Marik Ishtar glanced up. "Bakura, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm wondering that about you too," Ryou said.

"Probably for the same reason you're here. You received a letter from that Dumbledore person too, didn't you?"

Ryou nodded, a bit surprised that Marik had also received a letter. He took a seat beside Ishizu who smiled softly at him in greeting. He inclined his head in greeting to her before answering Marik's question. "Yeah, and I have a lot of questions, including who this ally he mentioned is, why he asked for me, and apparently you, specifically, and if other magics really are real," he said.

"Same here. As I told Ishizu, I thought all other practices of magic had died out," Marik admitted.

The door opened again and Ryou and Marik looked up before the spirit of the Ring started cursing in the back of Ryou's head as the familiar tri-colored spiky haired form of Yugi Mutou made his way into the room. Yugi stopped when he spotted Ryou and Marik. "Bakura? Marik? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Probably for the same reason as you," Marik said with a shrug.

"I thought you went back to Egypt," Yugi said, moving over to take a seat across from the Egyptians and Ryou.

"We are not leaving until the exhibit closes in a few days," Ishizu explained. "But then Marik received that letter from Dumbledore and that is why we're here."

"So I'm not the only one with questions," Yugi said.

"Of course not," Marik scoffed and glanced toward the head of the table. "Just where is this Dumbledore person anyway? He should have been here five minutes ago."

"I'm right here, Mr. Ishtar," a tall, old man dressed in clashing green cargo pants and an orange long-sleeved shirt stepped into the room. He had long white hair and a long white beard that was tied near his stomach and twinkling blue eyes.

"Gah! Where did you come from?!" Marik exclaimed, jumping in surprise at the older gentleman's sudden appearance.

"I apologize," the man said. "I am Albus Dumbledore. You have questions for me, yes? And I have much to tell you as well."

"Yes, we do," Yugi said as Dumbledore sat down at the head of the table.

"Then ask away, Mr. Mutou."

Yugi blinked. "How'd you know who I was?" he asked.

"Everyone knows you, Mr. King of Games," Marik said with a smirk. "Your name and face is probably plastered all over the place ever since your win at Battle City."

Yugi flushed in embarrassment. "Um, right, my questions," he said, looking back at Dumbledore. "Who is this ally that you mentioned in your letter?"

"He calls him Shadi," Dumbledore said calmly.

"Him!" Marik growled.

Ryou blinked. _Who's Shadi?_ He thought.

\ _Hell if I know,_ / Yami Bakura muttered in the back of his head. (1)

"Shadi? Really? Why would he speak to you? I haven't seen him since…well…since he spoke to me on the blimp," Yugi said.

"I will explain after I answer all of your questions," Dumbledore assured him.

Ryou hesitated, then asked, "Is magic real?"

Dumbledore nodded. "It is indeed," he said. "Would you like me to prove it?"

"Yes, please," Ryou said quietly.

"Very well." Dumbledore pulled out a long, slender stick and then pointed it toward a vase resting on a table nearby. " _Wingardium Leviosa_." A moment later, to the surprise of the three present, the vase slowly began to float in the air before being lowered back onto the table.

"Whoa," Marik said, stunned. "I didn't even know other magics were still being practiced."

"The practice of many magics have died out over the years but not in Britain," Dumbledore said.

"All right. I want to know only one thing," Marik said firmly. "Why us? Why did you specifically ask to speak to us?"

"Shadi said that you three, and a Mr. Seto Kaiba, may be able to help me," Dumbledore said.

" _Kaiba_? Ha," Marik snorted.

"But why did Shadi tell you that we might be able to help you?" Yugi asked, suspicion coloring his tone. "And help you with what exactly?"

"Shadi didn't say. He only says that you can help me," Dumbledore said.

"That sounds like Shadi all right, as cryptic as ever," Marik huffed.

"However, I can explain what you may be able to help me with," Dumbledore added. "You see, in the British Wizarding World, we are currently on the brink of war with an evil wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort who seeks to destroy all muggles and muggleborns in the world and make himself the ruler over everyone."

"Whoa, what the heck is a muggle? And a muggleborn?" Marik asked.

"A muggle is someone who does not have magic within them and a muggleborn is a magical child born to two muggle parents," Dumbledore said.

"And this Voldemort guy seeks to kill all of them? Why?" Ryou asked quietly, feeling horrified at the thought.

"He feels that he and those who are pureblood, which means there isn't any non-magical blood in their bloodline, are superior to muggles and muggleborns and that muggles and muggleborns don't deserve to live in the world with the purebloods," Dumbledore said gravelly.

"That's horrible," Yugi exclaimed. "That's like the majority of the world's population right there, I think. I mean I don't know how many of these magical people are in the world."

"But what does this have to do with us?" Ryou asked.

"Shadi seems to believe that you three can help me and my allies defeat Voldemort," Dumbledore said.

"And why would he believe that?" Marik huffed.

"That he did not say. He did, however, mention that there is another enemy who has appeared in the wizarding world and he believes that you three, as well as Mr. Kaiba, might be the only ones who can delay this enemy from achieving its' goal," Dumbledore said.

"Once again, cryptic," Marik muttered.

Dumbledore studied the three of them for a moment. "I have a question for you all," he said. "Do you know anything about the Light of Ruin?"

Ryou blanked, Yami Bakura frowned in the back of his mind but Ryou was surprised by the faint recognition he felt drifting from his other half's soul room before the spirit realized he hadn't blocked Ryou and then proceeded to do just that. Yugi looked confused while Marik was frowning and looking at Ishizu and Odion.

"I don't think I have," Yugi said finally. His eyes glazed for a moment before he shook his head. "No, I haven't."

"I…I've heard of it," Marik said finally. "It was briefly mentioned in some of the old books that I read when I was younger. It was just a legend, a story that was told to children back in Ancient Egypt. I don't remember the entire story but I do remember that the Light of Ruin wasn't a good thing."

"It's called the Light of _Ruin_ for a reason, Ishtar," Yami Bakura huffed, shoving Ryou out of control.

The Millennium Puzzle that was currently hidden beneath the table flashed briefly and Yugi's hair grew wilder and his eyes took on a crimson tinge as the Pharaoh made his appearance. "What do you know about the Light of Ruin, Bakura?" Yami said.

"I know the legend," Yami Bakura said simply. "Of course _you_ don't know it, Your Highness, or _remember_ it."

Yami glowered in irritation.

"Would you care to tell us, Mr. Bakura?" Dumbledore asked gently.

Yami Bakura was about to protest, then thought about it. _If the legend is true then this world is in danger. And I certainly don't want the world to be destroyed before I have a chance to put my plan into action. Knowledge is power. The more they know about the Light of Ruin, the better a chance it can be stopped before it ruins everything for me._ Yami Bakura knew that there was the possibility that the legend wasn't true but he couldn't take the chance of the legend being true because it would ruin all his plans and that was not something he wanted to happen.

He has waited over three-thousand years for revenge. He was not about to let the Light of Ruin take his chance for vengeance away from him if the legend was indeed true.

And if it wasn't, why the hell did Dumbledore mention the Light of Ruin in the first place?

"Fine," he said. "The legend states that the source of all fighting comes from the opposition of light and darkness, more specifically the Light of Ruin and the Gentle Darkness. Legend has it that the universe was created by the Gentle Darkness and the Light of Ruin in harmony but then the Light of Ruin, as its name stated, sought to destroy what it and the Gentle Darkness had created. The Gentle Darkness opposed the Light of Ruin's quest for destruction and thus began the eternal fight between them."

"Due to the sheer power of both entities, their fights would be cataclysmic and the Gentle Darkness did not want that. It wanted to prevent the universe it had created from being destroyed. Therefore it issued a challenge; if the Light of Ruin desired to destroy what it and the Gentle Darkness had created then it would have to choose a Champion to fight against the Gentle Darkness's Herald and their fight shall decide the fate of the universe."

"The Light of Ruin rose to the challenge the Gentle Darkness had presented it because it was arrogant and believed that its Champion could best the Gentle Darkness's Herald. Unfortunately, the Light of Ruin's arrogance worked against it and its Champion fell before the Herald. Determined to win, the Light challenged the Darkness once again and thus began the endless cycle." (2)

"You know more than I did about the Light of Ruin," Dumbledore admitted when Yami Bakura finished speaking.

"It's just a legend," Yami Bakura said.

"I believe there might be some truth to it, however, because Shadi has told me that the Light of Ruin is the new enemy," Dumbledore said. "I do not know how he knows this but I do know he speaks the truth as he proved he was speaking the truth through use of a magical item that I, after much research, learned was called the Millennium Scale."

Yami Bakura's lips pulled into a scowl, Marik frowned, and Yugi's eyes went wide.

Dumbledore looked at the three of them gravelly. "Shadi believes you three, and Mr. Kaiba, are the only ones who can delay the Light of Ruin from achieving its goal," he said.

"Delay? I'm sure we can defeat this so-called Light," Marik huffed.

Yami Bakura rolled his eyes. "Moron, if the legend really is true then the only one who can defeat the Light of Ruin's Champion is the Gentle Darkness's Herald, whoever the hell that is," he said.

"Shadi said that none of you are the one destined to defeat the Light of Ruin," Dumbledore said, "but that you can delay it from achieving its goal."

There was a long moment of silence, then: "So that's why you want our help," Yami said. "You and Shadi both believe this legend is true and that we can postpone, for lack of a better term, the fulfillment of the Light of Ruin's goal."

"Exactly," Dumbledore said with a nod.

"We don't even know if this is true or not," Marik said. "Why should we trust you?"

"I can understand your lack of trust in me," Dumbledore said softly. "But even if there is a possibility of the world being destroyed and you had the power to postpone it, wouldn't you do so? Even if the Light of Ruin is simply a legend and does not exist as Shadi seems to think it does, there is still the fact that Voldemort is a very real threat. He will not stop in his quest to murder every single man, woman and child who doesn't have magic in their veins, or are born of non-magical parents, in the world."

"We're not even magical!" Marik exclaimed, throwing up his hands in exasperation. "What the hell are we supposed to do? We know nothing of this world of yours!"

"Marik's right," Yami said. "We know nothing of your world and we aren't magical…"

 _Or, at least, we don't use the same magic you do,_ Yami Bakura thought.

"…How can we help defeat Voldemort and, possibly, this Light of Ruin?" the Pharaoh finished.

"It's possible that you actually are magical," Dumbledore said, "and there is a simple test to determine if you are or not, if you are willing to take it."

Yami was silent for a long moment, eyeing Dumbledore. "What kind of test?" he asked.

Dumbledore reached into his robes and pulled out a stick that was different from his own. "This is a wand. All you have to do is take it and wave it," he said. "Depending on how it reacts will tell me all I need to know."

"You want us to wave a stick around," Marik said dryly.

"It is entirely up to you," Dumbledore said. "It's a simple test. If you don't pass it, that's fine, though I suspect you might surprise yourselves."

There was a long moment of silence. Yami's eyes glazed as he talked with his Hikari, Marik was frowning and murmuring quietly to Ishizu while Yami Bakura remained silent, listening to his host suggest that it wouldn't hurt to take the test.

\ _And what if it's true? It would be simply fascinating to be an actual wizard!_ / Ryou said almost giddily.

Yami Bakura rolled his eyes. _Do what you want,_ he thought flatly and threw Ryou back into control. He would never tell his host this but it didn't matter if the legend was true or not, that Voldemort character seemed like someone that Yami Bakura needed to keep an eye on. If that Voldemort person was really as big a threat as Dumbledore seemed to think he was then he might be a threat to Yami Bakura's plans. And Yami Bakura wasn't about to let anyone get in the way of his revenge.

And the Light of Ruin? Yami Bakura definitely did not want the Light of Ruin to ruin his plans either, if the legend was true. If he could postpone the achieving of the Light of Ruin's own goal then he would.

"I'll do it," Ryou said softly once he was in control. "It can't hurt."

"Very well," Dumbledore said and held out the wand toward Ryou who gently took it and then waved it. He jumped, eyes wide with shock, when the vase that Dumbledore had levitated earlier, and Ryou had just waved the wand at, shattered.

"I…I'm sorry," he stammered, blushing in embarrassment.

Dumbledore waved his own wand at the vase, repairing it in an instant, his eyes were twinkling with amusement but he didn't seem surprised. "It's all right, Mr. Bakura," he said. "But you do, indeed, have magic within you. If you didn't, the wand would not have reacted at all."

Ryou, still a bit pink, slowly put the wand down.

Yami and Yugi switched places at that moment and Yugi reached for the wand, apparently having decided to try it out too. He waved it and Marik had to quickly jump out of his seat to avoid the jet of flames that shot out of the wand toward him.

"Yugi!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry!" Yugi said quickly, putting the wand down as Dumbledore quickly cast a spell that put out the chair that had been set on fire.

Marik huffed. "Well, since you two did it, guess I might as well," he said and reached for the wand before waving it, lavender eyes filled with surprise when a series of birds suddenly flew out of his wand and began circling the air above them.

Dumbledore cast his own spell to send the birds away and smiled at the three of them. "Congratulations, it would appear all three of you are wizards," he said.

Ryou was smiling. _This is so cool,_ he thought.

"Now then, I have an offer for you," Dumbledore said. "In two months, on the first of September, the new year of Hogwarts begins. I would like all three of you, and possibly Mr. Kaiba if he agrees and proves to be magical like you, to attend Hogwarts as fifth years. If you agree to this, I and my fellow professors can help you get caught up with your yearmates. At Hogwarts, you will learn more about the wizarding world and learn how to use your magic. It is entirely up to you."

"And you think that us learning your magic will help you beat Voldemort and, possibly, this Light of Ruin?" Yugi asked.

"I believe so, yes. We need all the allies we can get against Voldemort," Dumbledore said gravelly. "And we know nothing of what the Light of Ruin is capable of."

 _Neither do we,_ Marik thought. "And if we say no?" he said instead.

"Then I will not trouble you any further. It is your decision. I will leave you to discuss it amongst yourselves. If you need more time, let me know," Dumbledore said, standing up and, with a polite bow, he left the conference room.

There was a long moment of silence, during which Yugi was staring off into space as he communed with his other half, then Marik said, "Well, what do you guys think?"

"Shadi and Dumbledore both think we're the only ones who can delay the Light of Ruin, if the legend really is true, and we can help stop this Voldemort person," Yugi said with a frown as he finished speaking with the Pharaoh. "If we can help stop Voldemort and, possibly, delay this Light of Ruin, then shouldn't we help? I mean we could save billions of lives, and possibly the world itself."

"It would suck if the world was destroyed," Marik said thoughtfully. "What do you say, Sister? Odion?"

"It's up to you," Ishizu said softly. "If you want my opinion, Brother, I say you should strongly consider going."

"I agree," Odion said. "If I were in your position and someone told me that some dark wizard was going to kill the majority of the world's population, and some Light thing was seeking to destroy the entire world, and I could help stop it then I would help."

Marik sighed, rubbing his head. "I just…don't think like the idea of jumping into a situation we know only so much about," he said. "I don't trust Dumbledore. I mean, I don't want billions of people to be killed and I definitely don't want the world to be destroyed but…I just…get this feeling Dumbledore isn't telling us everything."

"What do you say, Bakura?" Yugi asked, turning to the whitenette.

Ryou pressed his lips together. "I kind of agree with Marik," he said softly. "I don't entirely trust Dumbledore either but…" He closed his eyes. "Is it all right to just sit back and do nothing when we can help save a lot of people? I…I don't think it is. I'm going to do it." He opened his eyes and added, "Besides, being a wizard sounds like it'll be interesting."

"I'm going to do it too," Yugi agreed.

"What about helping the Pharaoh regain his memories?" Marik asked.

"I've already spoken with the Other Me. He thinks that we should do this too," Yugi said. "He agrees that Dumbledore can't be trusted entirely though but he wants to help."

Marik pressed his lips together. "Well, I have nothing better to do," he said with a shrug. "All right, I'm in too."

 **. . .**

 **To Be Continued**

 **. . .**

(1): I don't seem to recall if Yami Bakura ever met Shadi after Battle City (in the anime at least, since he seems to recognize Shadi in the manga) but I don't think that he did.

(2): I know the actual tale of the Light of Ruin/Destruction (I've seen both the dubbed and the subbed versions of the episode in which Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin explained the matter to Judai in _GX_ ) but I've altered some portions of and added to it to fit the purposes of my story. So, while the Light of Ruin element remains the same, the actual story behind it is different than it is in canon GX. And, yes, I did have Yami Bakura know the story because…well…why not?

 **. . .**

 **A/n what do you think?**

 **Blaze: well, this chapter was longer than the last one. Hopefully, I did an okay job. I tried to keep things realistic and tried not to have Yugi, Marik, and Ryou agree right away but we all know they were going to agree. There wouldn't be a story if they didn't but I tried to keep it as realistic as possible (hell, for all I know, I made it** _ **so**_ **realistic that it's** _ **un**_ **realistic)**

 **Bakura: (blowing up Eiffel Tower) That makes no sense whatsoever**

 **Blaze: it's three-thirty in the morning (well, when I wrote this chapter, it was anyway) Leave me alone**

 **Bakura: your own fault for staying up this late (sets Stonehenge on fire)**

 **Ryou: (sweatdrops) really, Bakura?**

 **Bakura: really (cackles insanely)**

 **Blaze: (sighs and shakes head) okay, the next chapter is going to be the four new students' introduction to the wizarding world as well as the one scene I am looking forward to writing the most**

 **Yami: what's that scene?**

 **Blaze: five words: Yami Bakura in Diagon Alley**

 **Yami: oh boy**

 **Blaze: I am so going to have fun with that! So, please review, and I will post chapter three as soon as I possibly can**


End file.
